Automatic cutting and stacking device for shaped blanks and method of use

Abstract

An automatic cutting and stacking device for arcuately shaped blanks is disclosed. The device contains a feeding table followed by a cutting unit and a stacking device. The cutting unit is movable in relation to the feeding table to thus allow a cutting perpendicular to the contour of the shaped film. The stacking unit comprises a slide plate and a movable base plate upon which the cut blanks are stacked. The height of the base plate can be adjusted/lowered in relation to the accumulating thickness of the stacking height of the cut blanks.

1. Automatic cutting and stacking apparatus for producing and stacking arcuately shaped blanks comprising:
 (a) a feeding table comprising a surface, at least one guide defining an arcuate path, and a feeding wheel for propelling a set length of arcuately shaped film along said surface and along said arcuate path guided by said at least one guide to a cutting device;  
 (b) the cutting device being adjustably attached to said feeding table for adjustment in a direction generally parallel to said surface to cut the arcuately shaped film propelled from the feeding table perpendicular to the edges of said arcuately shaped film; and  
 (c) a stacking device connected to said feeding table to receive the cut arcuately shaped film from said cutting device, said stacking device comprising an indexing table with an attached slide plate and a base plate.  
 
   
   
     2. The apparatus in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said feeding table is provided with said feeding wheel and a pressure roller, and said cutting device comprises a stationary bed knife combined with a traversing rotating knife. 
   
   
     3. The apparatus in accordance with  claim 2  wherein said at least one guide comprises an arcuate guide surface to guide to the arcuately shaped film. 
   
   
     4. The apparatus in accordance with  claim 2  wherein said cutting device is independently adjustable in relation to the feeding table about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the feeding table and arcuately shaped film disposed thereon by a cutting unit adjusting mechanism. 
   
   
     5. The apparatus in accordance with  claim 4  wherein the cutting device is independently adjustable in relation to the feeding table by the cutting unit adjusting mechanism over a domain represented by an angle from 0° to 18°. 
   
   
     6. A method for the continuous manufacture and automatic stacking of cut shaped blanks from arcuately shaped film by an automatic cutting and stacking apparatus, said automatic cutting and stacking apparatus comprising a feeding table having a surface, a feeding wheel and at least one guide defining an arcuate path, a cutting device adjustably attached to said feeding table for adjustment in a direction generally parallel to said surface to yield a cut perpendicular to the edges of the arcuately shaped film, and a stacking device connected to said feeding table in a manner to receive and stack blanks, said method comprising:
 placing arcuately shaped film on to said surface of said feeding table,  
 propelling the arcuately shaped film from said feeding table to said cutting device using said feeding wheel and guiding the arcuately shaped film as it moves along said surface of said feeding table and along said arcuate path with said at least one guide,  
 cutting the arcuately shaped film perpendicularly to the edges of said arcuately shaped film with said cutting device to produce said cut shaped blanks; and  
 stacking the blanks using said stacking device, said stacking device comprising a slide plate attached to the cutting device for receiving the blanks from said cutting device, a base plate attached to the slide plate to receive and stack the blanks, and an indexing table underneath said base plate.  
 
   
   
     7. The method of  claim 6  wherein slippage of the shaped film is reduced by utilizing a pressure roller to press the shaped film against the feeding wheel and wherein said cutting device comprises a stationary bed knife combined with a traversing rotating knife. 
   
   
     8. The method of  claim 7  wherein said at least one guide comprises an arcuate guide surface to guide the arcuately shaped film. 
   
   
     9. The method of  claim 7  further comprising independently adjusting the cutting device in relation to the feeding table about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the feeding table and arcuately shaped film disposed thereon. 
   
   
     10. The method of  claim 9  wherein the cutting device is independently adjustable in relation to the feeding table by a cutting unit adjusting mechanism over a domain represented by an angle from 0° to 18°.